Ashes whitewash sealed in Sydney

The spine will tingle even as the memory fades. Among spectators at the SCG during these five days of action packed into three, there has been one common refrain: that shiver of excitement when Australia's fast bowlers get going. To see it on television is one thing, but to see it live cuts straight through to the body.

They have taken this show on a five-city tour, and the reaction has been universal. Adults' throats go dry. Children grab a ball and start tearing in off the long run. Misty-eyed veterans talk of Lillee and Thomson, or Lindwall and Miller. Since the original whitewash, in 1920-21, the summer of Jack Gregory and Ted McDonald, the dangerous thrill of very fast bowling has been the animating spirit of Australian cricket.

We will all remember the first time. In Brisbane, I sat by the fence on the third evening. If I had hair, it would be standing on end, even thinking about it now. The moment was when Mitchell Johnson charged in at Jonathan Trott, Trott advanced at Johnson, and the resultant clash of forces ended with Nathan Lyon jumping for joy, the ball in his hand, at backward square leg. This was the instant when it dawned. Twenty-four hours later, intuition became concrete reality and Australia had won a Test match. This could be real.

For spectators around the land, as that single win multiplied by five, the bodily experience of awe has kept recurring. Everyone got a dose. There was Johnson's astounding spell in Adelaide, when he won a match in half an hour on a comatose pitch. Perth people got to see Johnson's late-afternoon special on day two and Ryan Harris's first ball to Alastair Cook on day four. Melburnians caught a late whiff of Johnson on Boxing Day and then a Bass Strait gale on day three. Sydney has been Harris' Test. His first over on Saturday brought to mind Hemingway's definition of guts: grace under pressure. Harris, as much as any fast bowler in history, brings that kind of courage to his art, the ability to give a batsman what he least wants at a moment when it is going to hurt most.

Advertisement

This Australian team's central vector is its new-ball attack, but like any compelling story it has something for everyone. One effect of retaining an 11-man team has been that each player has grown into a familiar, identifiable character.

Those who love heroes of the unsung variety can cherish Peter Siddle, the man behind the man at the other end. Siddle's partners owed him their wickets, and he captured a few of his own, most often his big-talking bunny. Lyon was another champion for those who love tortoises more than hares, and every parent of a skinny kid who gets picked last in the team will now sit down and say, 'Let me tell you about Nathan Lyon.' The batsmen had a harder time of it, but each put his stamp on the series. David Warner, the pirate, and Michael Clarke, the man at the wheel, each scored two centuries when the Ashes were in play. Their demolition job on Graeme Swann in Brisbane was the most significant passage of batting in the summer. They took the two outstanding catches of the series as well, Warner's of Michael Carberry in Adelaide and Clarke's left-claw slips catch of Scott Borthwick in Sydney. And Clarke's captaincy had something about it of black magic. No wonder the English looked as if they were under a bad-luck curse.

Fifth Test, Sydney - Day Three

This team has something old and something new. Chris Rogers became the highest Ashes run-scorer of the 10-Test year, and Steve Smith played a similar role to Clarke in 2006-07, the apprentice performing as well as the masters. Shane Watson was his enigmatic self, but this team would lack texture without him. With the bat he was infuriating and commanding, and a telling contributor to the wins in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne. With the ball he remained the secret key. His all-round gifts still, in their Watsonian way, hold this team together. And in George Bailey, there is a character for those who feel cricket needs fellows who, when told they will get their faces punched in, just stand there with their arms folded and laugh. Bailey's Test career may not go much further, but he holds a world record for hitting, chipped in for his team, took some good catches, and if he goes out with five wins from five, he will have a lifetime's happy memories.

Which leaves the mainstay. One of the biggest post-match cheers in Sydney came when Brad Haddin said he was not retiring. He has been doing this, turning negatives into positives, all summer. Australians love a comeback kid, and Haddin has come back in every respect. His way has been aggressive and free-swinging, what we like to think of as the Australian way. Something about seeing him on the field never fails to lift the spirit.

Perhaps it's knowing that, in the circumstances of his absence from the Australian team last year, there are much bigger things than cricket. Cook made the same remark in reference to the pinked-out SCG. At certain moments, they say, it's not cricket. At others, it's only cricket. It's a game, a form of simple play. What's the secret to inspiring a nation and creating history and creating folk tales from all those who will say, 'I saw the Ashes of 2013-14'? Go into the home changing room in the SCG. Asked what Clarke said to his ragtag army to motivate them for the third day, Lyon said, ''He told us to go have a bat and then have a bowl and see how we go.'' Five-nil, that's how they went.

Beautifully written Malcolm. Maybe in reading your story all those who said this 5-0 drubbing was somehow "boring" will now have some understanding why it was anything but.

Commenter

Jason

Date and time

January 06, 2014, 6:09AM

BEST. ASHES. EVER.

Commenter

Boo

Date and time

January 06, 2014, 6:54AM

Spot on, Malcolm. Harris' first ball dismissal of Cook in Perth will surely be known as the 'Cook' ball in years to come. A ball every bit as exciting, skillful and memorable as the 'Gatting' and 'Strauss' balls by Warne.

Commenter

Victor1877

Date and time

January 06, 2014, 6:55AM

I think Warne's ball to Gatting has been slightly overrated calling it the ball of the century. it does help if you work on the channel nine commentary team to infalte your achievements. You have to remember there was a deflection in the ball to Gatting but the impression the commentators leave you with it was clean bowled without touching anything.

Commenter

kellybellyfonte

Date and time

January 06, 2014, 9:14AM

The Gatting ball was widely known as the "Ball of the Century" long before Warne had retired, let alone had anything to do with commentary. I agree that it was a bit presumptious (and it didn't exactly come out of a transparent, analytical selection process) but you can't really blame Warne for that.

As for whether it deflected, that's really by the by. It's remembered for what it did in the air and off the pitch, and how badly it bamboozled Gatting.

That said, I do agree that the "Ball of the [period]"-type commentary is quite unfair to the quicks. The perspective of the TV footage (from high up at a distance) tends to understate the movement and pace of a seam-up delivery.

Commenter

Spex

Location

Sydney

Date and time

January 06, 2014, 2:34PM

Total rubbish. All I remember is that England had an internal mess just like Australia did a year ago and the wheels fell off big time. Stop hyping this up to be the biggest turn around in test history it just isn't guys. More praise IF Australia thump South Africa next but one swallow doesn't make a summer !!!!

Commenter

Steve_sydney

Date and time

January 06, 2014, 8:09AM

one swallow doesn't make a spring. i think comparing this bowling attack to any of the previous greats is a bit premature. Great victory great comeback by the aussies but I do feel a lot of the australian team is at the end of their career not the start.

The question has to be asked why hasn't mitchell Johnson lived up to his promise all these years?

Commenter

kellybellyfonte

Date and time

January 06, 2014, 8:25AM

Totally agree with your comments. Are we serious when we say that this bowling attack is better than the that of 1975-77. Dennis, Thommo, Maxie, et al. The thing to look at is that this England team was worse than the touring side of '75. In fact I believe that this was the worst performance by any English team ever and I can't get my head round the fact that there were few changes to either side from the last Ashes clash 4 months ago. The proof of the pudding will come when the Aussies play South Africa. If they beat them in the series I will believe that they have become a great side in a few months. I look forward to the Australian top order fending off Steyn, Morkel, and Philander and I would doubt that SA top order will be intimidated by Johnson or anyone else.